OT-HISTORY.filter - rwp 74:

rwp@2Thessalonians:2:9 @{Whose coming is} (\hou estin h parousia\). Refers to \hon\ in verse 8|. The Antichrist has his \parousia\ also. Deissmann (_Light from the Ancient East_, pp. 374, 378) notes an inscription at Epidaurus in which "Asclepius manifested his \Parousia\." Antiochus Epiphanes is called _the manifest god_ (III Macc. strkjv@5:35). Songs:the two Epiphanies coincide. {Lying wonders} (\terasin pseudous\). "In wonders of a lie." Note here the three words for the miracles of Christ (Hebrews:2:4|), power (\dunamis\), signs (\smeia\), wonders (\terata\), but all according to the working of Satan (\kata energeian tou Satana\, the energy of Satan) just as Jesus had foretold (Matthew:24:24|), wonders that would almost lead astray the very elect.

rwp@3John:1:6 @{Before the church} (\enpion ekklsias\). Public meeting as the anarthrous use of \ekklsia\ indicates, like \en ekklsii\ in strkjv@1Corinthians:14:19,35|. {Thou wilt do well} (\kals poiseis\). Future active of \poie\ with adverb \kals\, a common polite phrase in letters (papyri) like our "please." See also strkjv@Acts:10:33; strkjv@James:2:19; strkjv@1Corinthians:7:37f.; strkjv@Phillipians:4:14; strkjv@2Peter:1:19|. {To set forward on their journey} (\propempsas\). First aorist active participle (simultaneous action) of \propemp\, to send forward, "sending forward," old word, in N.T. in strkjv@Acts:15:3; strkjv@20:38; strkjv@21:5; strkjv@1Corinthians:16:6,11; strkjv@2Corinthians:1:16; strkjv@Romans:15:24; strkjv@Titus:3:13|. {Worthily of God} (\axis tou theou\). Precisely this phrase in strkjv@1Thessalonians:2:12| and the genitive with \axis\ also in strkjv@Romans:16:2; strkjv@Phillipians:1:27; strkjv@Colossians:1:10; strkjv@Ephesians:4:1|. See strkjv@John:13:20| for Christ's words on the subject. "Since they are God's representatives, treat them as you would God" (Holtzmann). From Homer's time (_Od_. XV. 74) it was customary to speed the parting guest, sometimes accompanying him, sometimes providing money and food. Rabbis were so escorted and Paul alludes to the same gracious custom in strkjv@Romans:15:24; strkjv@Titus:3:13|.

rwp@Acts:8:9 @{Simon} (\Simn\). One of the common names (Josephus, _Ant_. XX. 7, 2) and a number of messianic pretenders had this name. A large number of traditions in the second and third centuries gathered round this man and Baur actually proposed that the Simon of the Clementine Homilies is really the apostle Paul though Paul triumphed over the powers of magic repeatedly (Acts:13:6-12; strkjv@19:11-19|), "a perfect absurdity" (Spitta, _Apostelgeschichte_, p. 149). One of the legends is that this Simon Magus of Acts is the father of heresy and went to Rome and was worshipped as a god (so Justin Martyr). But a stone found in the Tiber A.D. 1574 has an inscription to _Semoni Sanco Deo Fidio Sacrum_ which is (Page) clearly to Hercules, Sancus being a Sabine name for Hercules. This Simon in Samaria is simply one of the many magicians of the time before the later gnosticism had gained a foothold. "In his person Christianity was for the first time confronted with superstition and religious imposture, of which the ancient world was at this period full" (Furneaux). {Which beforetime used sorcery} (\prouprchen mageun\). An ancient idiom (periphrastic), the present active participle \mageun\ with the imperfect active verb from \prouparch\, the idiom only here and strkjv@Luke:23:12| in the N.T. Literally "Simon was existing previously practising magic." This old verb \mageu\ is from \magos\ (a \magus\, seer, prophet, false prophet, sorcerer) and occurs here alone in the N.T. {Amazed} (existann). Present active participle of the verb \existan\, later form of \existmi\, to throw out of position, displace, upset, astonish, chiefly in the Gospels in the N.T. Same construction as \mageun\. {Some great one} (\tina megan\). Predicate accusative of general reference (infinitive in indirect discourse). It is amazing how gullible people are in the presence of a manifest impostor like Simon. The Magi were the priestly order in the Median and Persian empires and were supposed to have been founded by Zoroaster. The word \magoi\ (magi) has a good sense in strkjv@Matthew:2:1|, but here and in strkjv@Acts:13:6| it has the bad sense like our "magic."

rwp@Acts:13:10 @{Of all guile} (\pantos dolou\). From \del\, to catch with bait, old word, already seen in strkjv@Matthew:26:4; strkjv@Mark:7:22; strkjv@14:1|. Paul denounces Elymas as a trickster. {All villainy} (\pss rhidiourgias\). Late compound from \rhidiourgos\ (\rhidios\, easy, facile, \ergon\, deed, one who does a thing adroitly and with ease). Songs:levity in Xenophon and unscrupulousness in Polybius, Plutarch, and the papyri. Only here in the N.T., though the kindred word \rhidiourgma\ occurs in strkjv@Acts:18:14|. With deadly accuracy Paul pictured this slick rascal. {Thou son of the devil} (\huie diabolou\). Damning phrase like that used by Jesus of the Pharisees in strkjv@John:8:44|, a slanderer like the \diabolos\. This use of son (\huios\) for characteristic occurs in strkjv@Acts:3:25; strkjv@4:36|, a common Hebrew idiom, and may be used purposely by Paul in contrast with the name Barjesus (son of Jesus) that Elymas bore (13:6|). {Enemy of all righteousness} (\echthre pss dikaiosuns\). Personal enemy to all justice, sums up all the rest. Note triple use of "all" (\pantos, pss, pss\), total depravity in every sense. {Wilt thou not cease?} (\ou pausi\). An impatient rhetorical question, almost volitive in force (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 874). Note \ou\, not \m\, {To pervert} (\diastrephn\). Present active participle describing the actual work of Elymas as a perverter or distorter (see verse 8|). More exactly, Wilt thou not cease perverting? {The right ways of the Lord} (\tas hodous tou kuriou tas eutheias\). The ways of the Lord the straight ones as opposed to the crooked ways of men (Isaiah:40:4; strkjv@42:16; strkjv@Luke:3:5|). The task of John the Baptist as of all prophets and preachers is to make crooked paths straight and to get men to walk in them. This false prophet was making even the Lord's straight ways crooked. Elymas has many successors.

rwp@John:12:9 @{The common people} (\ho ochlos polus\). This is the right reading with the article \ho\, literally, "the people much or in large numbers." One is reminded of the French idiom. Gildersleeve (_Syntax_, p. 284) gives a few rare examples of the idiom \ho anr agathos\. Westcott suggests that \ochlos polus\ came to be regarded as a compound noun. This is the usual order in the N.T. rather than \polus ochlos\ (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 774). Mark (Mark:12:37|) has \ho polus ochlos\. Moulton (_Proleg_., p. 84) terms \ho ochlos polus\ here and in verse 12| "a curious misplacement of the article." John's use of \ochlos\ is usually the common crowd as "riff-raff." {That he was} (\hoti estin\). Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse after the secondary tense (\egn\, second aorist active indicative of \ginsk\). These "Jews" are not all hostile to Jesus as in strkjv@5:10; strkjv@6:41|, etc., but included some who were friendly (verse 11|). {But that they might see Lazarus also} (\all' hina kai ton Lazaron idsin\). Purpose clause with \hina\ and second aorist active subjunctive of \hora\. Motive enough to gather a great crowd, to see one raised from the dead (cf. verse 1| for the same phrase, "whom he had raised from the dead"). Some of the very witnesses of the raising of Lazarus will bear witness later (verse 17|). It was a tense situation.

rwp@John:18:26 @{Did not I see thee in the garden with him?} (\ouk eg se eidon en ti kpi met' autou;\). This staggering and sudden thrust expects an affirmative answer by the use of \ouk\, not \m\ as in verses 17,25|, but Peter's previous denials with the knowledge that he was observed by a kinsman of Malchus whom he had tried to kill (verse 10|) drove him to the third flat denial that he knew Jesus, this time with cursing and swearing (Mark:14:71; strkjv@Matthew:26:73|). Peter was in dire peril now of arrest himself for attempt to kill. {Straightway} (\euthes\). As in strkjv@Matthew:26:74| while Luke has \parachrma\ (Luke:22:60|). Mark (Mark:14:68,72|) speaks of two crowings as often happens when one cock crows. See strkjv@Matthew:26:34| for \alektr\ (cock). That was usually the close of the third watch of the night (Mark:13:35|), about 3 A.M. Luke (Luke:22:61|) notes that Jesus turned and looked on Peter probably as he passed from the rooms of Annas to the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (the ecclesiastical court). See Mrs. Browning's beautiful sonnets on "The Look".

rwp@Luke:1:74 @{Delivered} (\rhusthentas\). First aorist passive participle of an old verb, \rhuomai\. The accusative case appears, where the dative could have been used to agree with \hmin\, because of the infinitive \latreuein\ (verse 74|) {to serve} (from {latros}, for hire). But Plato uses the word of service for God so that the bad sense does not always exist.

rwp@Revelation:22:3 @{There shall be no curse any more} (\pan katathema ouk estai eti\). No other example of \katathema\ has been found outside of the _Didache_ XVI. 5, though the verb \katathematiz\ occurs in strkjv@Matthew:26:74|, meaning to curse, while we have \anathematiz\ in strkjv@Mark:14:71| in the same sense. It may be a syncopated form of \katanathema\. The usual \anathema\ (curse) occurs in strkjv@1Corinthians:16:22; strkjv@Galatians:1:8; strkjv@Romans:9:3|. For \pan\ with \ouk=ouden\ see strkjv@21:27|. {Shall do him service} (\latreusousin auti\). Future active of \latreu\, linear idea, "shall keep on serving." See strkjv@7:15| for present active indicative of this same verb with the dative \auti\ as here, picturing the worship of God in heaven. See strkjv@27:1| for "the throne of God and of the Lamb."